Cupcake Royale (and Vérité Coffee)

You may have already tried Cupcake Royale's colorful cupcakes, but their retail cafes in Madrona and Ballard also serve superb panini sandwiches, like an exemplary turkey with pesto, Swiss cheese, Mama Lil's peppers and lightly wilted spinach. The irresistible cupcakes come in chocolate and vanilla with a variety of frostings (the chocolate with mint frosting is a winner), and seasonal cupcakes are introduced regularly. Good loose-leaf tea service, too.